Deliberately damaged by hospital staff to
promote business of private diagnostic facilities
KARACHI: Sindh Health Secretary informed the Public Accounts Committee of Sindh Assembly recently that CT and MRI Machines and other precious equipment in many public sector hospitals in Sindh Province are non-functional for many years. These were deliberately damaged by the technicians in order to divert the patients to diagnostic facilities in private sector to promote their business. These issues were highlighted during the PAC meeting which was reviewing the audit reports of provincial health department for the year 2024 and 2025. It was further stated that action has been initiated against the technicians involved who have been found responsible for damaging this equipment.
Participants including the Chairman of PAC expressed their concern and regretted that precious equipment purchased at a cost of millions of rupees were deliberately rendered non-functional. There were serious complaints particularly about Ghulam Muhammad Mehar Medical College Hospital Sukkur where the MRI is out of order since long forcing the patients to avail these facilities from private diagnostic facilities. The health secretary claimed that measures have been initiated to repair the damaged equipment or replace it. The health secretary was asked to prepare a comprehensive progress report on measures initiated.
Sale of unregistered and counterfeit drugs also came up for discussion in the committee meeting. The PAC ordered strict action against those selling these drugs as well as those operating without a valid license. Yet another alarming disclosure during the meeting was that Medical Superintendents of various hospitals purchased drugs worth three billion rupees through local purchase which is an important source of corruption. The committee asked to provide a detailed account of the drugs and medicines purchased through local purchase.
